Office Assistant – Office of Disability Support Services and SEED Program

About the role

This position serves as an office assistant, providing support to students, faculty, and staff in the areas of Disability Support Services and the SEED program. The position coordinates general college information and department-specific assistance for DSS/ESS to students. The Office Assistant reports directly to the Associate Dean for Student Learning and Organizational Development.

Responsibilities

• Serves as receptionist and provides administrative support for ESS/DSS/SEED including events, student activities, recruitment and retention initiatives, and professional development.
• Supports the Next Step Transition Conference and other DSS/SEED events, including booking rooms, event setup, maintaining a database of attendees and outside resources, and assisting in preparing and updating marketing materials for workshops and presentations.
• Provides appropriate ESS/DSS information to students, faculty, staff, and local agencies regarding available services (Learning Specialist, DSS Learning Specialist, Tutoring, etc.) and updates departmental resources each semester (e.g., resources for mental health/behavioral health, diagnosis/testing).
• Maintains student records for DSS.
• Schedules and coordinates student appointments, access accommodations, alternative test accommodations, adaptive equipment loans, special classroom equipment, and contracted services.
• Independently composes correspondence, reports, and other forms of written communication.
• Enters appointment data and generates reports from college database systems.
• Provides input and retrieval for inter- and intra-departmental, divisional, and collegial reporting.
• Duplicates, collates, and prepares mailings and informational materials directed to students, faculty, staff, local agencies, and high schools.
• Maintains an updated budget system and monitors budgets and purchases for SEED and other contracted services.
• Assists with scheduling tutoring and learning specialist appointments and the implementation of ESS and DSS activities.
• Provides support for the remote tutoring program including screening tutoring sessions when needed.
• Trains students in the use of assistive/adaptive equipment.
• Maintains the ESS/DSS equipment inventory and records of DSS technology/equipment; troubleshoots technology/equipment borrowed by students.
• Assists with the facilitation of transition workshops and center tours.
• Coordinates scheduling of testing, including working with faculty and proctoring tests within the department.
• Helps maintain an inviting appearance of the ESS/DSS suite.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree from an accredited institution or a combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job; high school diploma/GED.
• Act 153 Clearances (Act 34 PA Criminal Background, Act 151 PA Child Abuse History, Act 114 FBI Clearance Fingerprinting).

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks in a busy open-reception environment.
• Strong knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, shared drives, and database systems.
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills.
• Sensitivity to diverse and multicultural student populations.
• Experience or demonstrated ability to handle confidential information and safeguard private information while promoting academic integrity.
• Ability to be cooperative, pleasant, and helpful when working with a diverse population of students, staff, and the general public.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Demonstrated work skills and behaviors: teamwork/cooperation, initiative, customer service, and commitment to continuous professional growth in skills and knowledge.
• Some schedule flexibility required for office coverage.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Two years of related work experience.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English).

Physical Demands

• Ability to effectively communicate, perceive, and exchange information with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Operate, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls using hands, arms, or adaptive equipment.
• Ability to safely lift, transport, or move objects up to 15 lbs regularly and up to 25 lbs occasionally.
• Vision capabilities sufficient to view screens, read printed materials, and observe work environments (with or without assistive devices).

Work Environment

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.